Student asked to change shirt with gun picture

Associated Press

GUILFORD, Conn. (AP) — A Guilford High School student says he disagrees with school officials who made him change out of a shirt that has a picture of a gun on it.

Eighteen-year-old Matt Zingarella told WTNH-TV that he was exercising his free speech rights by wearing the shirt to school Monday, but he was immediately asked to change it.

The shirt has a picture of a gun that's banned in Connecticut and a statement that says, "I plead the second," referring to Second Amendment gun rights. Zingarella says he was expressing his frustration with new state gun laws.

Zingarella says it doesn't appear the shirt is banned by the school dress code.

School officials say the dress code does ban such shirts because they can disrupt the educational process.